Marriage Equality

Marriage Equality has finally come to Illinois. I am thrilled that this has taken place. I wish it had been the case for Michael and I. It would certainly have helped legally for me after his death.
But going forward others will not have to endure what I did. Change has and is coming.

Apologies

To say I'm sorry should not be a difficult process. But for many it seems that they are giving up a piece of themselves, all because they apologize for something they have said or done. At what point do you apologize?? Do you do so immediately or do you wait a day or two. What if you wait over a month? Would you feel that after a certain point it's to late to apologize for what ever wrong was committed. And do you expect the person you're apologizing to too accept it no matter how much time has passed?
And what if no apology is ever offered up, how does that affect how you handle the person the next time you must be in each others presence. Dismiss them and act like they are not there, or do you at least acknowledge them. What if said person is a family member, and at one point you were very close. Or it's just a casual acquaintance, would that make it easier to just dismiss them. And what if more then one person was involved in the disagreement, and some had been apologized to but others had not. Is it easier to apologize to someone you are not that close to??
Why is it "sorry" seems to be the hardest word in the dictionary to say. And how do you handle the situation??